Arminianism
Arminianism is a Christian theological perspective that emerged in the late sixteenth century, rooted in the teachings of Jacobus Arminius. It stands in contrast to Calvinism but shares a foundational belief in predestination—the idea that God determines who will receive salvation. However, Arminianism emphasizes human free will, positing that individuals have the ability to choose to accept or reject God's grace, which is central to its doctrine. Arminius's followers articulated their beliefs in the "Five Articles of Remonstrance," which highlight the necessity of divine assistance for doing good, the universal availability of salvation through Christ, and the ambiguity regarding the permanence of salvation.
The debates between Arminians and Calvinists have shaped Christian thought and led to significant theological discussions, especially during the Synod of Dort, which condemned Arminian views. Despite this, Arminianism gained traction in various denominations, notably within the Methodist Church founded by John Wesley and among many revivalist movements in the United States. Today, Arminian theology continues to influence numerous Christian groups, including certain Pentecostal churches and various other Protestant denominations, reflecting a broad spectrum of belief in the interplay between divine grace and human choice.
Arminianism
Arminianism is a form of Christian theology that began in Europe in the late sixteenth century. While it holds some beliefs in common with Calvinism, the two forms of Christianity have had a long-standing debate, with followers of each charging the other with specific errors of doctrine. Although both Arminianism and Calvinism have a belief in predestination—the belief that God decides in advance who goes to heaven and who does not—they differ on several key aspects of the concept. A resurgence of controversy surrounding Arminianism arose in the late twentieth century, when followers of Calvinism in evangelical churches showed renewed interest in defending their beliefs against those of Arminianism.
Background
The belief system known as Arminianism bears the name of its founder, Jacobus (or Jacob) Arminius. Born in Holland in 1560 and left fatherless while still very young, Arminius was educated by a local clergyman. While Arminius was away at school in Germany at the age of fifteen, his town was invaded by the Spanish, and his mother and siblings were killed. He entered the University of Leiden, where he impressed his instructors so much that the Amsterdam authorities were convinced to pay for his education. They did this in exchange for his promise to serve the church in Amsterdam. Arminius agreed and began his ministry in the Reformed or Calvinist Church in 1588.
The Calvinist Church is named after John Calvin, though some religious scholars point out that many of Calvin's viewpoints were previously put forth by others. Calvin was a French Roman Catholic who experienced a sudden conversion and became a Protestant Reformer. In 1536, he wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion, which shared his beliefs and got him into trouble with the Roman Catholic Church. Calvinism has five main beliefs:
- Human beings are totally depraved, or incapable of being good in God's eyes.
- God has predestined some people for eternal reward and some for eternal punishment solely by his own decision, and people can do nothing to change that.
- Christ died not for all but for those whom God destined for salvation.
- People are unable to resist the grace and calling of God.
- Those who are predestined for eternal life cannot do anything that will cause them to lose their predestined fate.
In 1589, just one year after he began his ministry, Arminius was asked to investigate charges of heresy, or holding beliefs that are not in line with a church's official doctrine, against another local pastor, Dirck Coornhert. Coornhert was generally a good and holy man but differed with official Calvinistic positions on three key topics: predestination, justification, and punishment of heretics by death. When he began to investigate, Arminius thought he agreed with Coornhert and began an intense study of the Bible in an effort to come to a decision about Coornhert's beliefs. Arminius looked at the teachings of early church leaders and other teachings from more contemporary leaders. In the end, he adopted a new approach to his faith, which ended up being named after him.
Arminius continued with the church in Amsterdam for a number of years, occasionally finding himself at odds with the Calvinists. In 1602, he was invited to teach as a professor of divinity at the University of Leiden, and the church released him from his obligation to allow him to take the post. His teachings on predestination raised more concerns there, however, and he was more frequently embattled over his beliefs. Arminius died in 1609.
His teachings outlived him. In 1610, some of his followers published the Five Articles of Remonstrance, or an expression of opposition, against the teachings about predestination put forth in 1561 by the Calvinists in the Belgic Confession, or statement of beliefs. This led to a series of debates about Arminianism that culminated in its condemnation by the state church in Belgium at the Synod of Dort. This was not the end of Arminianism, however, as it gained favor with several notable theologians, including Englishman John Wesley and many of the American revivalists during the period of religious fervor known as the Second Great Awakening (approximately 1790–1850).
Overview
The Articles of Remonstrance published by Arminius's followers proposed five specific beliefs:
- Humans can do nothing good without God's help.
- Before he created the world, God determined that anyone who chose to believe in and follow Jesus Christ would be saved.
- Jesus died for everyone, but only those who believe in him benefit from this salvation.
- People can freely choose to reject God's grace.
- It is unclear from the Bible whether people can lose their salvation.
These five points led the Calvinists to specifically list their five beliefs for the first time to counter the Arminian beliefs.
Over time, the five articles that define Arminianism were adopted by other forms of Christianity, making it a theology, or set of beliefs, rather than a specific church. Followers of Arminianism believe that
- God wants to save people;
- God sent Jesus Christ to die to provide the means of that salvation;
- God does not force salvation on anyone;
- God allows free will but also provides grace for people to be open to that salvation;
- all who desire to be saved can have salvation, and God has known since before creation who those people will be; and
- salvation comes through God's grace and the works of Jesus Christ.
Arminianism's influence of modern Christianity is significant. Many contemporary churches teach Arminian theology in some respect. The Methodist Church, which was started by Arminius defender John Wesley, is often associated with Arminianism. Some Pentecostal churches, such as the Assemblies of God, and certain other denominations, such as the Church of the Nazarene and Free Will Baptists, are also associated with Arminianism. Some Roman Catholics and others in Protestant churches hold beliefs that lean toward Arminianism.
Bibliography
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"Jacob Arminius Founds Arminianism." Christian History Institute, www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/arminius. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.
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Olson, Roger E. "Arminianism FAQ 1 (Everything You Always Wanted to Know...)." Patheos, 4 July 2014, www.patheos.com/blogs/rogereolson/2014/07/arminianism-faq-1-everything-you-always-wanted-to-know. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.